Aren't these just extravegant! I love them, and I wish that I had the guts to buy them and wear them in public - as it is, I am tempted to buy at least one and wear it around my house.

"For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of daughtership. And by him we cry, "Abba,Father." Romans 8:15

I have a wonderful father - one who gave so much of himself for his daughter. He provided for me and he taught me who Jesus is - but in my mind the thing I most remember about him is simply the safety of his presence. I was never afraid when he was around, I didn't actually have to see him to feel safe, I just had to know he was there.

As Jonathan and I were walking home the other day - I saw a little girl out in her front lawn - completely lost in her imagination. She had a small doll with a pretty pink tulle skirt that she was dancing with and talking to. I wished we could have walked by invisibly - I remembered the startle that comes when you realize there are "outsiders" - nothing shoves you sharper into real life than a stranger watching you "play". And she was startled - I just smiled at her then looked away - hoping she could quickly sink back into the world I had ripped her from, although I knew she would now be more aware of the road in front of her and who might be on it.



I saw her and I remembered - almost achingly. I used to spend hours outside - my favorites were windy days - twirling in the breeze - talking to my dolls - my cat - my dog - myself. I can't remember the conversations - even then I knew half the time they didn't make sense, I was just talking and imagining. She was at that -on the verge- age - she has only a short time left of just being a child, soon she will no longer dare to loose herself to that secret world out in the front yard where *gasp* someone might see her. She will slowly loose the inventions of her own mind and will fill it instead with the inventions of others' minds. And all I can say is - just keep twirling little girl - keep twirling - don't worry about what people think - enjoy the breeze and the company of your doll for as long as you can.

Sometimes I get jealous of the mother blogs I read - I want to blog about my children and show pictures of the cute things they do. But, I don't have children yet, so I figure, duh Jodi, just blog about the people God has put in your life, and so here you are.....


Jonathan gave a piggy back to one, and of course the other wanted one too.
Me and my Zari